Ever After
by Lilian Violet
Summary: The story of a wealthy princess, Hisana, and how she tries to make her sister, Rukia, a scullery maid, and a handsome prince, Byakuya, fall in love with each other. On HIATUS!


_**Hello my readers, Lilian Violet here! This is my new Byakuya/Rukia fanfiction story "Ever After!" I'm not entirely sure of where I got this idea from, but I grew so weary of my college work and job that I decided to update a new story. Due to a tragic accident caused by the younger member of a kingdom, Rukia was sent to work as a scullery maid, while her older sister, Hisana, lived her life as a wealthy princess. Wanting a better life for her younger sister, Hisana has decided to take matters into her own hands and find some way to change her sister's fate; and that opportunity comes when a certain prince enters the picture...Prince Byakuya to be exact. Aside from this fanfiction story, keep an eye out for my other Byakuya/Rukia fanfictions, consisting of "A Cherry Blossom Forever After," "A Love that will Last a Lifetime," and "The Masked Shinigami." Also, if you're interested, you can keep another eye out for my other fanfiction stories; consisting of Pokemon and Digimon. Anyway, see how Hisana tries to bring her sister, Rukia, and Prince Byakuya together...and try to end her sister's scullery maid life. Along with my other Byakuya/Rukia fanfiction stories, please continue to read "Ever After," and its many updated chapters. Enjoy! :D**_

_**Note: I don't own Bleach, but I own this fanfiction story. **_

_**Note: Even though she's kind of affectionate towards Byakuya in this story, Hisana wants Rukia to live a jovial life...than the life she's living now. **_

_***-Ever After-***_

_**Chapter 1: My Scullery Maid Life**_

_Many people believed that this story was a myth, a simple fairytale that wasn't real. However, I was one of the few people who believed in such a story...the story of my sister, a plain scullery maid, who won the heart of a prince. _

This story happened years ago, in a place called the Seireitei; the place where me and my sister were born and raised. However, these were cruel and dark times, and since I was the older sibling I was sent to be pampered into a well brought out princess; while my younger sister was sent to be raised...as a simple household servant.

Despite my higher rank, I loved my sister dearly, and each day I asked myself...why couldn't we both be raised as wealthy princesses? Why was I being treated properly, while my sister doesn't even get the praises she deserves from doing all the countless household chores? If only I was born the youngest, then maybe my little sister wouldn't be treated so horribly. It was so unfair.

Although it was against royal regulations, I tried to visit my sister as often as I could; and strangely, every time I go to see her at the servants quarters, she's always the same...welcoming my arrival with a bright smile on her face. Why would she smile at me, the sister who got everything to gain and nothing to lose, while she had exactly that...nothing? I tried numerous times to convince my sister to let me negotiate with the upper court in order to have her removed from her servant life, and live with me in wealth and luxury. However, and this will always remain a puzzle to me, my sister denies my offer and replies that she is "satisfied," with her life as a servant; while I get the attention and care that a princess deserves. Can you believe that, my own sister is actually "happy," with her life as a scullery maid, while I'm a purified high class princess. She might be satisfied with her life, but I wasn't, I was determined to get my younger sister the proper treatment she should've had the moment she was born...and I was going to accomplish that goal, before it is too late.

The sun was rising over the Seireitei, covering the massive city in a blanket of golden sun rays; and within the southern side of the city lied the Kingdom of Snow, which was home to King Ukitake, Queen Unohana, and their adopted daughter, Princess Hisana. The Kingdom of Snow was well known for its snowy terrain and blistering blizzards, even in the hottest of seasons the snow wouldn't melt...hence the palace got its name, the Kingdom of Snow.

King Jushiro and his wife Queen Unohana were benevolent rulers, with a kingdom of people who had nothing but respect for them; and although they had everything from riches to royalty, they still yearned for one thing...a child to claim the throne. Unfortunately, after years of praying and hoping for their one wish of having a child, King Jushiro and Queen Unohana were always left with the same results...and began to doubt if they'd ever have an heir. However, one fateful day, during their daily stroll through the kingdom, a young peasant girl carrying a bundle of blankets in her arms; suddenly fainted before Jushiro and Unohana. Desperately wanting to help the girl, Jushiro and Unohana went to retrieve her, but when Jushiro picked the girl up from the ground...he and Unohana heard a faint muffled cry which was coming from the bundle of blankets. Jushiro and Unohana carefully separated the girl from the bundle of blankets, and were utterly surprised when they saw the face of a tiny baby poking out of the blankets.

All of a sudden, the girl madly squirmed in Jushiro's arms, as if she were desperately trying to seek a way out of his embrace. Not wanting to disappoint the being in his arms, Jushiro released the girl from his hold; and she immediately took the baby from Unohana, who held the child in her arms while her husband had his hands full with her.

The girl asked Jushiro and Unohana in a frightened voice, while she held the baby close to her, "W-w-what do you w-w-want?"

Jushiro spoke gently to the girl in order to calm her down, "We're sorry, we didn't mean to scare you my dear, and we certainly don't mean you any harm."

Unohana told the girl with a motherly tone in her voice, "You fainted right before our eyes, so we couldn't just stand by and do nothing."

"P-p-please," the girl cried to Jushiro and Unohana as she held the baby in a comforting, yet tight embrace, "L-l-leave me a-a-and Rukia a-a-alone."

"Rukia," Jushiro asked the girl with a smile, "Is that the name of the baby you're carrying?"

"Y-y-yes," the girl said to Jushiro as she tried to keep Rukia away from him and Unohana, as if she was afraid they might take her away, "R-R-Rukia is my b-b-baby sister."

"And what is your name," Unohana asked the girl with the same motherly smile and tone of voice?

"H-H-Hisana," the girl, named Hisana, told Jushiro and Unohana as she tried to calm Rukia, who at that moment, began to cry.

"Here," Unohana said to Hisana gently as she held out her arms, "I can stop Rukia's crying, if you'd let me."

Hisana was a bit hesitant to let a complete stranger hold her baby sister, but Jushiro and Unohana seemed like nice people; and they did help her when she fainted, in fact, they were the only people who helped her and Rukia...so the least she could do was take them up on their offer.

Slowly, but surely, Hisana handed Rukia over to Unohana, who instantly rocked the infant back and forth in a soothing motion; until the little baby giggled, yawned, and fell asleep.

"Hisana," Jushiro asked Hisana while Unohana was tending to Rukia, "Where are your parents?"

Hisana lowered her head, and sadly told Jushiro and Unohana as a few tears fell from her eyes, "...Me and Rukia don't have parents."

"What," Jushiro asked Hisana as he was completely shocked and stunned from what he heard, "You and Rukia don't have parents, but then, who takes care of you and your sister?"

"Nobody," Hisana said to Jushiro as the tears continued to fall from her eyes, "I take care of myself...and Rukia."

"Poor things," Unohana whispered under her breath, as she looked down at a sleeping Rukia with a melancholy frown, "Living all alone, with no one to-."

Suddenly, Unohana beamed a jovial smile as she rushed to Jushiro's side and whispered something in his ear; and it must've been some good news...because he smiled along with his wife.

After clearing his throat, Jushiro asked Hisana with a smile still etched on his face, "Hisana, how would you and Rukia like to have a home?"

The tears in her wide eyes dried up after hearing what Jushiro said, and Hisana asked him and Unohana, "That would be lovely, but where can we find a home?"

Unohana giggled and happily told Hisana, "It would honor me and Jushiro very much, if you and Rukia...would come and live with us."

Shocked and taken back by Jushiro and Unohana's offer to go and live with them, Hisana thought that this was too good to be true; but she became even more shocked and surprised when they took her and Rukia to their palace.

The palace's scenery took Hisana's breath away, and at that moment, she thought she was dreaming; because never in her wildest dreams did she think that she and Rukia would get to live in a gigantic palace.

From that day forward, Hisana and Rukia lived happily along with their adopted parents, King Jushiro and Queen Unohana...but some blissful moments don't stay happy forever.

When Hisana was thirteen and Rukia was nine, there was a bloody massacre at one of the neighboring kingdoms. The kingdom was ruled by a benevolent king who ruled his palace in a proper manner, however, his younger brother grew jealous of his older brother's rein. Knowing that the older sibling claims the throne first, and the youngest claims the throne when the other sibling feels that it is the right time to pass their royal title over; the youngest brother didn't have any patience to wait for the opportunity of becoming king...so he murdered his older brother.

During the younger brother's arrest, the royal council decreed the following: Due to this unforgivable crime, all kingdoms who bear more than one heir must follow this law. Since the crime was comitted by the youngest of heirs, all those who were born second are hereby stripped of their royal titles, and must be put to work as servants when they reach the age of ten. Those heirs who become servants will remain in that state, until the council decides otherwise. We of the council also feel that it is best to keep the older and younger siblings separate for the time being.

Word of the new decree spreaded fast among the kingdoms, and the moment it reached the Kingdom of Snow; you could be sure that no one in the royal family was satisfied with the council's final decision.

During their dinner, Unohana angrily bellowed as she slammed her fists onto the table, "How can the council expect us to make our youngest daughter a servant, its not like she or any of the other young ones from other kingdoms did anything wrong."

Jushiro sighed sadly as he told Unohana while placing his knife and fork down, "I agree with you on this my dearest Unohana, really I do, but even all the kingdoms standing together couldn't make the royal council change their minds."

Rukia remained silent as Jushiro, Unohana, and Hisana were arguing about the current situation.

"Please, father," Hisana pleaded to Jushiro as she tried to hold onto the last bit of hope that was lingering in her heart, "Please tell me that there is a way out of this decree."

Ever since he saw them, Jushiro knew that Hisana loved Rukia dearly; even now, he knew that she would have done anything...rather than turn her own sister into a servant. But the royal council held the power over all Seireitei kingdoms, and no solitary kingdom stood a chance against them; whatever decree they made, the rest of the kingdoms had to follow...no matter how much they protested against it.

All was quiet, until Rukia quietly spoke, "I accept the council's decree, when I turn ten on my next birthday...I'll become a servant in the Kingdom of Snow's household."

Jushiro, Unohana, and Hisana turned their attention to Rukia, who remained silent while her family gazed at her in complete shock and surprise from hearing her response.

"Rukia," Hisana asked Rukia as she angrily frowned at her, "Do you realize what you're saying, do you honestly expect us to stand by and watch as you take on a scullery maid life?"

Silence filled the air once more, until Rukia rose from the dinner table and explained to Jushiro, Unohana, and Hisana with an honest heart and smile as she began to leave, "It's my life, and if I decide to have a scullery maid life; then so be it...and all I ask is that you respect my decision, whether you accept it or not," and with that, she left the dining room.

And so it was, the moment Rukia's tenth birthday arrived it didn't feel as blissful and merry as any other birthday should be; because instead of receiving gifts, a cake, and a special dinner...she was immediately sent to reside in the servants quarters.

As the years went by, Rukia continued to work as a servant, while Hisana grew into a proper princess; yet neither she, Jushiro, or Unohana were satisfied with how things turned out, due to the council's decree...and they never would be until they could find some way to convince the council otherwise.

However, despite the rule of staying separate from each other, Hisana would often visit Rukia at night when everyone was asleep. As she tip toed through the hallways of the servants quarters, Hisana came to a single room and gently swung the door open...and inside, lying on a bed made of hay, was Rukia.

Hisana thought that Rukia was still fast asleep, but as she went to wake her sister from her deep slumber; a cheerful and giggly voice said, "It seems like only yesterday that we were both little girls, dreaming that one day we would both rule as princesses of the Kingdom of Snow," as soon as Hisana reached her bed, she saw that Rukia was wide awake.

"Too bad that dream is only a fantasy now," Hisana told Rukia with a wistful sigh, "And it was nine years ago to be exact."

"Wow, nine years ago," Rukia chuckled as she rested her head on Hisana's shoulder, "Time sure does fly...when you're a servant."

"And after all these years," Hisana quietly scolded Rukia, "You're still as stubborn as a mule."

Rukia groaned as she told Hisana while lying back down on her bed, "Give me a break Hisana, are you still going on about how unfair it is that you're a high class princess and I'm-"

"A scullery maid," Hisana finished Rukia's sentence with an irritated tone in her voice, "And yes I am, how you can agree with the council's decree and give up your royal life for a scullery maid life will always be a mystery to me."

A familiar silence filled the air, until Rukia explained to Hisana with a jovial smile, "Like I mentioned before, it's my scullery maid life; it is a burden that I must face alone...and you must learn to accept it, whether you like it or not."

_**This is the end of the first chapter of my "Ever After," fanfiction story. Like all first chapters, this one gives you the basics on how this story begins, with Hisana and Rukia being adopted by King Jushiro and Queen Unohana...and are both raised as the princesses of the Kingdom of Snow. However, due to the murder in a nearby kingdom, Rukia is forced to live her life as a servant in the Kingdom of Snow's household; because she is the younger sibling. However, Hisana won't allow her sister Rukia to live the life as a scullery maid any further, and decides to do something about it. Despite her parents and sister's protest against the council's law, Rukia tries to reassure them that she is satisfied with her simple scullery maid life. Will Rukia listen to reason and help Hisana to try and find a way out of this rule? Or will Rukia be the one to convince her sister Hisana to let things be, and continue to live life the way it is? Along with this fanfiction, don't forget to read my other Byakuya/Rukia stories, and if you're interested...read my other fanfictions consisting of Pokémon and Digimon (I might add a Sonic the Hedgehog fanfiction in the near future.) Hope you enjoyed this fanfiction story, please continue to read "Ever After," if it caught your interest. :D **_


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